


Don't Drink, Kids

by mitchymarns



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 00:32:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17415548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitchymarns/pseuds/mitchymarns
Summary: Mitch should really listen to Matt Martin more often.





	Don't Drink, Kids

**Author's Note:**

> This community is amazing! Thank you all for your support on my last work; because of that and the confidence it gave me, I think I've found my passion for writing again, and can't wait to keep writing more! I hope to upload a new piece or a continuation of a piece every week or so? We'll see. 
> 
> Thanks again, and hope you enjoy. :)

Mitch stumbled around the bar, hopelessly drunk, celebrating the Leaf’s seventh win in a row. It was the longest winning streak the team had been on in awhile, and Willy had pestered Mo- with the help of Mitch, of course, because no one was able to resist Mitchell Marner- to take the team out for drinks to celebrate. Mo had reluctantly agreed, and after the media had cleared out of the locker room, the team closely followed them. And then, here they were, getting trashed at some pub in Toronto Mitch should know, but can’t recall because of how many he’s shot back. 

He doesn’t have a problem. What’s wrong with taking a few- or like 10, or is it 16?- shots to celebrate? Not a damn thing.

Everything was fine when Mitch was with the team. He had been sandwiched between Marty and Matts at a table, facing Willy, Hymie and Freddie, laughing, cheering, and shooting back new drinks he had never tried before. However, Matts go up to go do something - Mitch hadn’t exactly paid attention to what- and had been gone for far too long for Mitch’s taste. So, ignoring the pleading of Marty to stay there at the table, Mitch took off to go search the crowded bar for Auston. 

Mitch should really listen to Marty more often. 

No one could sober up faster than Mitch when he was uncomfortable, which was exactly what he was now, cornered by some drunk guy he had never seen, let alone had met, in his life. Never meeting the guy lent nicely to Mitch’s case, in that he was insisting that no, he had never finessed this guy’s girl ever, in any world imaginable. 

“Yes you did! I saw your piece of shit ass at my apartment last Friday!” The guy’s voice was slurred, and his breath stunk with alcohol. Mitch shrank even further back into the corner as the guy lunged even closer, and panic continued to sober Mitch up. He had really screwed himself over this time.

Apparently, the situation that Mitch found himself in couldn’t completely override the alcohol, because somehow, Mitch found the false bravado to meet the man half way and shove him backwards, “I don’t even swing that way!” He stated loudly, puffing out his chest.

Mitch doubted the man had paid attention to what he said, however, the dude apparently did not appreciate being shoved backwards. In about maybe two seconds flat, he recovered and surged himself forward, grabbing hold of Mitch’s delicate throat. Mitch’s heart went into overdrive, beating frantically as he tugged at the man’s tight grip, struggling to take full, deep breaths both due to panic, and the grip secured impossibly tight around him. 

Mitch prayed someone was paying attention, but they were far away from the bar where the majority of people, and his teammates, were and secluded enough that the bartender couldn’t see what was happening. The man shook him and Mitch fought to escape, “Y..You’re fuckin’ crazy!” Mitch hissed out, but he was slowly starting to lose his vision and consciousness. 

Suddenly, right before Mitch fully blacked out, the grip on his throat released. Mitch gasped for air, falling to his knees on the floor as he coughed and spluttered, hands around his throat to try and soothe the pain. There was a lot of shouting and Mitch could hear the doors to the bar being ripped open and slammed shut, but he didn’t, couldn’t really, focus on anything besides trying to breathe. 

He felt a hand on his back and tensed, afraid the man had come back. His eyes shot up and he broke out into as much of a toothy grin as he could, “Hey Matty,” He croaked, voice cracked and dry, “I was looking for ya.”

Auston shook his head, kneeling beside Mitch on the floor, “Don’t speak if it hurts to,” he warned, rubbing Mitch’s back, “The guy got thrown out. The bartender’s calling the cops… Are you ok?” His eyes were full of concern, and Mitch remembered why he secretly loved the guy. 

Mitch shrugged and sat up, hands still clutched around his throat, “I’m fine. It just burns…” He broke into another round of coughing, his hands coming free from his throat to stifle his coughs. He heard Auston take in a huge breath. 

“Oh my god, Mitch…” He breathed out, lifting up Mitch’s head to further access the damage Mitch knew had to be there.

His neck was bruised a deep, angry purple color where the man had gripped him, and Auston was gazing at it like Mitch’s neck had actually been crushed. Feeling scrutinized, and way too vulnerable sitting on the floor of a bar, Mitch gently batted Auston’s hands away and murmured, “Can you please take me home? I wanna get out of here…” His voice made Auston’s expression soften even further, and he nodded, helping Mitch to his feet. 

Auston guided Mitch like a bodyguard back to where the team was, and Mitch flinched when they were met with horrified expressions. Marty was immediately at his feet, his fists clenched, “Who the fuck did that to him?” He asked Auston, and if looks could kill, everyone in the GTA would be dead by Marty’s eyes alone. 

Mitch murmured softly, “Some asshole was way too drunk to notice that I was not the guy who his girlfriend cheated on him with. Then I shoved him and…” He trailed off, eyes dropping to the ground. 

Martin glanced at Mitch, and then Mitch saw him look at Auston, “If you didn’t kill him, I will. Where is he?”

Auston shrugged, “I had him dragged out. We really need to get Mitch out of here tho,” He added in a lower tone. Mo, who had been listening from behind Marty, stepped in,

“I can take you two home. I haven’t drank anything. Who’s apartment?”

Auston shrugged, and Mitch coughed, “I don’t care- mine’s bigger and closer, so just take us there.” Mo nodded and the three of them quickly made their way to Mo’s car. Mo was a quick driver, and got them to Mitch’s apartment in under ten minutes. 

Mo drove off as soon as Auston and Mitch were in the building. Mitch leaned heavily on Auston’s sturdy frame as they walked, Auston securing his arm tightly around Mitch’s waist. They got up to the suite, and Mitch sank onto his couch, his eyes fluttering shut; he was absolutely exhausted, and still in a great deal of pain. 

Auston sat next to him, gently setting Mitch’s legs across his lap, and Mitch couldn’t help but to notice how gentle Auston was treating him, as if he would break. With any other person this would’ve greatly irritated him, but he couldn’t find himself minding that for once in his life, he had a monopoly of Auston Matthews’ attention. It was Mitch’s heaven, despite the horrible start to the end of his night.

Speaking of, there was one more thing Mitch probably should’ve listened to Marty about, and for once, Mitch wanted to make good on the advice given to him. 

“You going to be ok, Mitch?” Auston asked after a while, his eyes wide with concern as he gave Mitch a once over. Mitch, who felt a different kind of pain and discomfort rise in his throat as he began to think about what Marty had said, managed to nod.

“I’ll be alright, Matty,” He murmured, and then sat up slowly, much to Auston’s chagrin.

“Mitchy, what’re you doin’? Just lay back down, please.” He put a hand on Mitch’s chest to push him down, but Mitch gently grasped Auston’s wrist in his hand and gave in a squeeze.

“No, Matty- I wanna tell you something,” Mitch’s voice was clear, with no trace of his earlier free for all at the bar present. His heartbeat was beating at a supersonic rate, and Mitch was terrified it would thump its way right out of his chest. 

Auston’s look of confusion was so endearing Mitch thought he would absolutely burst, “What is it, Mitch? Is anything ok- is your throat getting worse? Fuck, I knew we should've gone right to the hospital! Let me go call Mo, I’ll have him drive us there, ok? It won’t take long.” Auston spoke so fast, Mitch couldn’t get a word in edgewise and his confidence wavered. However, it was the pure unmasked concern in Auston’s voice that allowed Mitch to press on, barely managing to keep Auston from springing up from to couch and leaping for his phone on the coffee table. 

“It’s nothing like that, Matty,” Mitch said slowly, even managing a small smile while privately thinking that no, it was something arguably maybe much, much worse. 

Auston looked even more confused, bordering on exasperation, then he smiled back at Mitch to seemingly urge him on, “Then what is it, Mitch? I have no clue what you’re getting at.”

Wanting to rip off the band aid so to speak, Mitch said in as low of a voice as he could manage, that still somehow came out broken and high pitched, “I like you.”

Auston was silent for a beat, then raised his eyebrow, “And?”

Mitch was ready to wail with frustration on account of Auston’s obliviousness, “I like like you, Matty! Not in the friend way…” His heart nearly sank at Auston’s expression, and he began to tear up. 

Auston steadied Mitch, putting two hands on his shaking shoulders, “Mitch, answer me honestly; how much did you have to drink tonight? Before the asshole tried to murder you.” 

Crocodile tears were threatening to spill over, and Mitch willed them not to, to save his pride, “I.. I don’t remember, Matty! A lot?” Not that it mattered now, because there weren’t enough drinks in the world for Mitch to ever get over being rejected by Auston. 

Suddenly, Auston was laughing. It was Mitch’s turn to be confused as Auston began slowly and gently thumbing away the tears from Mitch’s eyes, “Matty?...”

“The reason I asked,” Auston said, chuckling, “Is because you must still be pretty fucking wasted to forget that we’ve been dating for two months. Or the guy squeezed out all your brain cells- well, what there was of them anyways.” 

Mitch was too relieved and embarrassed to be offended by the comment. Now that Auston mentioned it, Mitch could recall; Marty had, in fact, one day set Mitch straight and told Mitch to confess to Auston which, after a hard fought win, Mitch did. Auston had confessed the same, and the two of them had been dating ever since. He felt his face turn scarlet, and realized that yeah, maybe 18 (or 20? 30? He really couldn’t remember!) shots were too many to take in one night, if he forgot something as magical as that.

Auston seemed unfazed by it, and just drew Mitch in to a tight hug, pressing a kiss to his temple, “I guess next time you’ll listen to Marty and I when we try and cut you off, yeah?” Mitch gave an enthusiastic nod, which had Auston guffawing all over again. 

“Could you stop laughing at me? It’s not funny!”

“Oh, Mitchy, that’s where you’re wrong. It’s extremely funny.”

And yeah, maybe Mitch hated Auston right now, but the way that Auston’s voice sounded when he was breathless from laughter made him realize just how much he really did love Auston.

That, and the whole night made Mitch realize that he should really, really listen to his teammates- specifically, Marty- a little more often.


End file.
